2012 Charles Smith "Kung Fu Girl" Evergreen Columbia Valley Riesling

SKU #1131507
91
points
Wine Enthusiast

** Best Buy ** Kungfu Girl has become an iconic Riesling on the strength of its instantly recognizable label, and surpassing quality. At 11% alcohol and 18 g/L residual sugar, it rests comfortably on the fence between dry and off-dry, and is a bulls-eye rendition of Washington Riesling. A dense mix of citrus, apple and tree fruits, enhanced with skin textures and finishing with highlights of honey and tea, this is flat out delicious.
(3/ 2014)

90
points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Kicking off the whites and talking about value, the 2012 Riesling Kung Fu Girl has to be one of the best values in white wine coming out of Washington State; when you see the total production numbers, it’s straight up unbelievable to have a wine of this quality, price and availability. Offering up a gorgeously pure, fresh bouquet of lychee nut, mint, citrus and clean minerality, this beautifully focused Riesling flows onto the palate with a balanced, full mid-palate, only a touch of sweetness and integrated, yet lip smacking acidity that shines on the finish. There’s real Riesling character here (and after tasting loads of Washington State Riesling, trust me, this is not a given) and this beauty should be purchased by the case. Enjoy bottles over the coming year. Drink now-2014.
(6/ 2013)

"Evergreen Vineyard was planted in 1998 by Jerry Milbrandt, the vineyard rows lie along a stretch of steep cliffs above the Columbia River, one of the state’s newest AVA’s, Ancient Lakes. A cooler site due to river influence, the soils are composed of fragmented basalt, gravel silt, and caliche deposited during ice age floods. As all are of Milbrandt’s vineyards, Evergreen is farmed using sustainable practices. This site produces fruit with sublime mineral character and the acid balance that winemakers adore." (Charles Smith Wines)

2012 Charles Smith "Kung Fu Girl" Evergreen Columbia Valley Riesling

Wine Scores

Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.

Product Reviews:

Offering a blossom, peach, and orange scented nose, on the palate Smith’s “Kung Fu Girl” veers toward the citric in flavor, with just a hint of that aforementioned blossom reappearing. The only “kick” I can find here seems to be the lip-smacking, tart finish. Is it dry? No, strictly speaking, it isn’t, but it is only a hair away from being so: you may comfortably proceed as if it were. Nice job for a domestic Riesling at a fair price!

Fun in a bottle! This is easy to drink and easy on the wallet. Tastes of lemon & lime citrus with Asian pears combine with nice acidity and a touch of sweetness. The whole package together makes for a great pool side guzzler, or better yet, a nice companion for spicy dishes.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Riesling

- While the rest of the world has often misappropriated the name--Welchriesling, Riesling Italico, Gray Riesling and Emerald Riesling are all names applied to varieties that are NOT Riesling--this exceptional German varietal has managed to maintain its identity. Perhaps its biggest claims to fame are its intoxicating perfume, often described as having honeyed stone fruit, herb, apple and citrus notes, and its incredible longevity - the wines lasting for decades. Aged Rieslings often take on a distinctive and alluring Petrol-like aroma. Within Germany, the grape seems to do best in the warming slate soils of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. Other German regions that turn out great Rieslings include Pfalz, Rheingau and Nahe. German Rieslings are made in a range of ripeness levels. The top wines are assigned Prädikat levels to describe their ripeness at harvest. These are: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese. Riesling has also achieved acclaim in France's Alsace, the only region in that country where the grape is officially permitted. Alsatian Rieslings are typically dry and wonderfully aromatic. Austrian Riesling is also steadily gaining praise and fine Riesling is also produced in Italy's Alto-Adige and Friuli, in Slovenia and much of Central and Eastern Europe. In the New World its stronghold is Australia, where it does best in the Eden and Clare Valleys. It is also planted in smaller amounts in New Zealand. In the US, winemakers are eschewing the syrupy sweet versions of the 1970s and 1980s, instead making elegant and balanced wines in both California and Washington State.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world. Click for a list of bestselling items from the United States.

Sub-Region:

Washington

- Washington has become one of the most important wine producing states in the United States, and development continues to grow rapidly. In 1969, when California was exploding as a wine producer, Washington had only two wineries, but by 2000 that number had passed 100. Most of Washington's grape crop goes to uses other than wine. Merlot and Chardonnay have been the most successful in Washington. It's interesting to note that Washington's prime wine regions are located at 46° north, along the same latitude as the legendary French wine districts of Bordeaux and Burgundy. During the summer, Washington averages more than two hours more sunlight each day compared to California.